Upper Blepharoplasty for Facial Rejuvenation

Age-related upper blepharoplasty removes excess skin and sometimes repositions fat to uncover an eye that has become hooded with time, while double-eyelid surgery creates or defines a crease in an eye that may not have one. The incision hides in the existing or planned crease either way. We evaluate skin excess, brow position, fat volume, and your tear film before deciding how much skin to take and whether the brow needs stabilizing at the same time.

Only as much as your eye can comfortably spare while still closing fully, which is why your surgeon pinches the skin during the exam while you look down and blink. Removing too much creates a hollow, skeletonized appearance and can make it hard to close your eyes at night. We preserve enough skin for safe closure, even if that means leaving a slight fold that might have been tempting to take.

If a low brow is the main reason your eyelid looks hooded, holding the brow up during the exam shows how much of the problem goes away, and that tells your surgeon whether the brow needs lifting too. Blepharoplasty removes skin from the lid but cannot fix a descended brow. We separate these two causes in every consultation so you do not treat one and leave the other in place.

The incision is placed within your natural crease so your expression stays familiar, and the goal is simply to remove what is hanging over it. The surgery uncovers the eye but does not redesign its shape unless that was also part of the plan. Your surgeon discusses which features should stay the same and which are being corrected so you both share the same picture of the outcome.

Fat is removed only if it is bulging in a way that creates puffiness, repositioned if it can fill a hollow above the crease, and preserved if it already looks balanced. Removing all of it gives an aged, hollow look that is hard to fix later. Your surgeon decides based on what your eye anatomy shows, not on a routine formula, and explains why each fat pad is being handled a certain way.

The scar sits inside the upper eyelid crease, so it is hidden when your eyes are open and blends into the fold when they are closed. Redness and firmness can last several months before the line softens to a pale, flat trace. We show you where the scar will sit during your consultation and explain that its final look depends on your skin type and how it heals.

Visible bruising and swelling improve over 1 to 2 weeks, but the creases can look a little different from each other for 2 to 3 months as swelling inside the lid resolves unevenly. A small early difference almost always comes from fluid, not from the surgery itself.

Temporary dryness feels like grittiness or irritation that improves with drops, especially in the morning. Incomplete closure is more concerning and shows up as persistent redness, blurred vision that does not clear, or discomfort that worsens through the day. New, severe eye pain, sudden vision changes, or inability to close the eye should not wait for the next routine appointment. We give you clear warning signs and tell you exactly how to reach us.

A conservative upper blepharoplasty should not change your lash direction, eye shape, or the brow-to-lid distance. Changes to these features happen when too much skin is removed, which is why we limit the excision to what is truly safe. Your surgeon explains the boundary between a refreshed eye and one that looks different from your own.

Tightness and a pulling sensation along the incision are common for the first few weeks and gradually fade, though mild numbness can persist for several months. A well-healed scar may feel firm or slightly different to touch for longer than it looks pink. We check the sensation at follow-up visits and let you know when it is safe to apply scar care products.

Adding browpexy makes sense when the exam shows the brow is truly low and contributing to the hooding, not when the problem is solely eyelid skin. Done conservatively together, they create a refreshed eye without looking tight or overdone. We weigh the benefit against the extra swelling and healing time before recommending the combination.

The eyelid crease and scars need at least 3 to 6 months to fully settle before revision can be accurately planned. Judging too early risks chasing swelling rather than fixing a structural issue. We recommend waiting until the tissues are soft and the scar has matured, then reviewing standardized photos together to see what has truly stayed.